Business case
When products can be produced with a 4D printer, this can provide
many advantages. This mainly involves saving space when storing products, but
also reducing transport costs. Products such as a lampshade are produced and
shipped flat, but deform to their primary shape as soon as they come into
contact with, for example, a certain temperature.
In the longer term, it may even be possible that Ikea customers will
no longer have to assemble products. For example, a 4D printed chair from IKEA
can be designed in a flat state. Once the customer receives the chair and
exposes it to certain conditions (such as heat), the chair's material can react
and spring into the correct shape. In this way, the customer would receive an
easily assembleable piece of furniture, without having to use tools or
complicated assembly instructions. The assembly process can become easier,
because the object can transform itself without the need for additional
assembly operations. This can attract new customers as many people now go to
other furniture stores so they don't have to assemble items themselves.
Although transport costs and inventory costs will decrease, a lot
will have to change within the company. 4D printing makes it possible to
produce products in a single production cycle, as opposed to assembling several
parts. This reduces production costs and increases production speed, as less
time and resources are required for assembly and logistics. Investments will
have to be made in the new technology and suitable materials must be developed.
Customers must also be involved in 4D printing and employees must receive
training. Customers will have many questions and employees must be able to
respond to these; they will have to understand and operate the technology. It
may be possible to employ or hire experts to transfer the knowledge to Ikea.
Furthermore, quality must also be checked, but the products must continue to
meet the required quality standards.
Another point to take into account is making returns possible. Once a product enters its primary form, the consumer will not return the product 'small'. If the product cannot be returned to its small form, it must be checked whether another customer still wants the product. If product no longer becomes small, this also causes a lot of variation in stock levels.
4D-printing offers significant benefits for Ikea, but they must
carefully consider the costs before implementing this technology.
Sources used in this post
4D-printing: All you need to know in 2023
More information about IKEA context: